If there’s anything particularly disturbing about this year’s US presidential election, beyond Donald Trump‘s toxic rhetoric, it’s that the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has become an integral part of the campaign. It is obvious that Musk did not take a position next to Trump because the latter has convinced him politically, but probably his motivation is nothing more than to continue to be the richest man in the world and to draw the post-election policy for it.
According to his narrative, an election of Kamala Harris, and her policies toward companies like his, would have a serious impact, and that’s why Musk months ago agreed with Trump in the event of the latter’s victory to take over what was to be it’s called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) (aka the name of the cryptocurrency it has created). It is a commission that will conduct a “full financial and performance audit of the entire federal government” and recommend reforms. Of course, in order to assume any official position, he would probably – based on the current legislation – have to leave the positions he holds in Tesla and in his space startup SpaceX.
SpaceX has received at least $15.4 billion in government contracts — including a classified $1.8 billion contract in 2021 — while Tesla has earned $352,000 through government contracts. Along with his other companies, they are subject to federal scrutiny and have frequently run afoul of regulators.
It is obvious that a transition of Musk to … politics in real terms, would make him … lose money (which was also said by a soul of the domestic political scene and a famous telemarketer), so probably the deal with Trump that exists is not exactly that. An alternative for DOGE would be for Musk to get another contract to develop software for the federal government with the goal of reducing federal spending. In this scenario, he would not formally join the government, leaving control of his companies intact.
A role outside of an official DOGE-style committee would certainly weaken the likelihood that Musk would influence its recommendations. It is noted that he recently promised, on October 23, that he would use the position – which was allegedly offered to him by Trump – to support a national approach to the regulation of the driverless vehicle market – a key market for Tesla – and to reduce overregulation. , which he has repeatedly criticized as hindering his companies.
However, if Trump does repeal the inflation-reducing legislation if he wins, then it will be a blow to Tesla, as electric vehicle sales will be negatively affected overall, given the fact that the law has windows to support electrification and other clean energy projects. Trump may have backed off some of his harshest rhetoric against electric vehicles, but he’s still not a big fan and has instead embraced the oil and gas lobby. His proposed tariffs on cars made in Mexico will also likely spell trouble for Tesla’s Monterrey factory, which has temporarily halted construction.
Tesla has received about $2.8 billion in state and federal government subsidies through grants and tax credits. Musk has spent at least $76 million of his own money to help Republicans this election cycle. His America PAC — which has reportedly engaged in questionable practices and is also facing litigation — handles efforts to reach pro-Trump voters in key states such as Pennsylvania. He presents a Trump victory as essential to his Mars dream and to “making life multiplanetary.”
“The potential is there for us to have an amazing, exciting future, but we just have to work hard to make it happen,” Musk said at a town hall on Oct. 20. “And the election of President Trump is necessary for that to happen.”
A Harris presidency is highly likely to follow policies similar to those of Biden on these issues, but which have proven favorable to Tesla. Most of its passenger vehicles qualify for tax credits.
He has proposed a $100 billion plan to invest in domestic manufacturers, including automakers and companies that make advanced batteries, as well as artificial intelligence companies. Work will also continue to expand EV supply chains and add more charging points. Tesla fans and Musk may still be upset about a White House event in August 2021 when General Motors (GM)’s EV efforts were praised — and Tesla snubbed.
With Harris as president, Tesla and SpaceX won’t have to worry about losing Musk, and neither will his other companies and startups. Additionally, another Musk business, Neuralink, has repeatedly won regulatory approval for its brain chip technology under Biden, which could continue under Harris.
SpaceX, in particular, would likely continue to prosper as NASA and the Pentagon’s primary partner for rocket launches. But Musk seems to have become obsessed with the possibility of Harris winning and Trump losing.
“I have fucked her. If he loses, I’m screwed,” Musk told Tucker Carlson last month. “How many years in prison do you think I will eat?” Will I see my children again? I don’t know.”
“I blast Kamala non-stop,” he added.
Since then, Musk has continued to criticize Harris and Biden, with his America PAC running a since-deleted ad calling her and other Democrats the “C” word. Although he later claimed in the ad that the “C word” is “Communist”, this is an overt allusion to a different, pedestrian word (cunt meaning female reproductive organ).
Musk has repeatedly accused the Biden administration of engaging in legal warfare (lawfare), or using legal systems and institutions to delegitimize an opponent, a favorite Trump attack against officials who prosecute him. SpaceX, Neuralink, X and Tesla have collectively been the subject of at least 20 recent investigations or audits.
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